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Architects: Hacker Architects
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Photographs:Lara Swimmer
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Manufacturers: Bernhardt, Biblio Model, Keilhauer, Lyngsoe Systems, Maharam, Mohawk Flooring
Text description provided by the architects. The Salem Public Library's downtown location was due for a renovation to bring its structural resilience and building systems up to modern standards. The 96,000-square-foot concrete structure was built in 1970 and underwent an expansion in 1990. When funding came through for seismic renovation, accessibility improvements, and life-safety updates, the city and library saw a rare chance to address some of the additional challenges encountered by staff and library patrons in their aging concrete building and outdated spaces.
